


More Than You Were Expecting

by SkyWasMadeofAmethyst



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Comfort, Dating, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Love, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy, meddlesome moms, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 00:20:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17032689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyWasMadeofAmethyst/pseuds/SkyWasMadeofAmethyst
Summary: Dan's and your lives are about to change forever. You've been happily dating for years now, but one little discovery will change your lives completely. Sometimes life gives you a little more than you were expecting.





	More Than You Were Expecting

You had been looking forward to having this girls-day with Suzy for months now, so of course your stomach would decide to turn against you by hitting you with an overwhelming wave of nausea. You dropped the fork of stir-fry noodles you’d been perfectly happy to eat just a few moments earlier as you were hit with an intense need to puke.

Suzy having known you long enough to tell when you weren’t feeling your best spotted the look of discomfort the second it hit your face. She was quick to speak as she watched your face grow pale your brow furrowing as you fought back the desire to puke. “Are you okay?”

You sighed reluctant to admit that you felt horrible. Today was supposed to be a fun day. Suzy had taken off of work and you’d finally finished up the hellish job you’d been working for months now; the wedding you’d been hired to provide flowers and flower crowns for having wrapped up the week before. You had been planning on having a day of much needed pampering with your best friend. The plan was to go get a manicure and a pedicure before grabbing lunch at your favorite Korean place. You’d even made plans to catch a movie tonight; a mushy Period Peace that both Suzy and you had been dying to see without your significant others groaning over being forced to sit through a movie that wasn’t packed with explosions and fight scenes.

Why was your stomach choosing to ruin everything?

“I’m sure it’s just stress…. that wedding I was working was terrible. I mean I was stuck making and remaking arrangements for months because the bride kept changing her mind about what she wanted..That’s the one thing I hate about not working for a shop anymore. I'm all on my own now so dealing with and appeasing a difficult client is it all up to me…It’s amazing I didn’t lose my mind. It was a big paycheck with a pretty affluent client so I was panicked over the possibility of losing it…..I’m sure this nausea will pass soon…I just need to relax and get my body out of stress-mode.” You replied hoping that saying this all out loud would will it to come true.

Suzy let out a small sigh taking a sip of her Peach Tea. “Dan told Arin that this has been happening a lot lately…the nausea…Danny sounded like he’s worried about you. He said you won’t go to a doctor.”

You shook your head not at all surprised to hear that Dan was fretting over you. If you had to choose a fact to give someone about your boyfriend, you’d probably say that he could at times be too neurotic for his own good….well you’d say that after you got finished explaining the fact that your boyfriend fronted a band that occasionally sang about orgies and dicks called Ninja Sex Party.

Dan had a tendency to obsess over the people he cared about. It was equal parts sweet and obnoxious.

Despite your nausea you couldn’t stop the small smile from crossing your lips at the thought of your boyfriend. 

As crazy as Dan could sometimes drive you, you couldn’t imagine your life without him in it.

You’d met Dan years before when Suzy had talked you into leaving the dreary north east and moving down to Los Angeles.

It was a move you’d been happy to make. You’d been miserable in Philadelphia recently broken up with your longtime boyfriend turned fiancé, stuck living in a shitty cold apartment in a city you’d only moved to in order to follow your now ex-fiance to so he could take his dream job at a law firm. He’d of course repaid you making this move with him by cheating on you with one of his coworkers.

Needless to say, the California sun and the ability to be close to your best friend sounded like a welcome change from lifeless miserable Philly where you were alone and heartbroken.

So you’d pulled your big girl panties up and sold most of your belongings, including the nice pricey pair of diamond earrings your ex had given you as well as your equally pricey engagement ring, in order to fund a move to LA. 

It hadn’t been easy. It had actually been pretty terrifying for you. You had come to LA without a job nor a place to live.

Suzy and Arin had been sweet enough to give you a pull-out sofa bed to sleep on in their rented house until you were able to find a place of your own and a florist shop willing to hire you.

If you hadn’t had Suzy and Arin to lean on you probably would have run home defeated within the first few weeks in LA.

In the process of staying with Arin and Suzy those first few months in LA, Dan Avidan had come into your life.

Back then Arin, Ross, and Dan had still been recording footage for Game Grumps out of Arin and Suzy’s home. It made meeting Dan kind of an easy process.

Dan had recently replaced Arin’s former co-host Jon which meant Arin and Dan had been pulling several late-night recording sessions trying hard to keep the channel from collapsing as a result of Jon’s sudden departure.

You could still remember how you’d first met Dan. Suzy and you had come home from the grocery store to the sight of an all too tall Muppet of a guy in a red plaid shirt and jeans that looked like they’d long seen better days having a giggling fit with Arin on the sofa.

Dan’s laugh had been the very first thing you’d noticed about him. He was one of those people whose laugh was a full body experience. He rocked back and forth a squeak leaving his lips as he laughed hard.

Dan’s hair had been much shorter back then of course and he’d been much thinner, though he was still pretty lanky to this day.

Dan still insisted to this day that the second his eyes had met yours it had been love at first sight for him. You were always quick to counter this statement by asking if he was sure that it hadn’t actually just been lust at first sight. This of course was met with Dan always sighing and responding. “Sshh let me be romantic….saying I thought you were hot and I liked your boobs is way less romantic that saying it was love at first sight.”

You could admit that you’d found Dan kind of cute, well you had found him way more than just kind of cute. You weren’t looking for romance though. You had way too much on your mind back then, like the job interview you had coming up within a few days, and ignoring phone calls from your ex begging you to give him another chance, and ignoring phone calls from your mother begging you to give your ex another chance.

Giving romance a chance with Arin’s dorky cute new cohost wasn’t really something that was on the forefront of your mind.

During those few months spent sleeping on Arin and Suzy’s couch Dan and you had formed a friendship of sorts. You’d told him of your childhood in Florida and he’d told you of his childhood in New Jersey. You’d exchanged horror stories about the time you’d spent living in Philly once you’d found out that Dan himself had lived there at one point in his early twenties.

That casual sort of friendship had never really expanded beyond the occasional late-night talks on the sofa in between Dan and Arin’s recording schedule. Occasionally Dan would crash overnight on the recliner while you slept on that sofa, but nothing had ever happened despite the sense of attraction you’d both felt for the other.

When you’d finally found a job and an apartment in your third month living in LA Dan had been part of the crew of Arin and Suzy’s friends who had helped you move into the little studio apartment you’d rented.

You hadn’t really thought anything would ever come out of the friendship you’d developed with Dan. If anything, you’d assumed Dan’s and your relationship would only be that of two casual friends who really only interacted when they met at a mutual friends party or some other event that might mean they crossed paths.

Despite the fact that you’d been willing to admit that Dan seemed sweet and he was definitely handsome, you weren’t looking for anything even threading the line of romance.

Suzy had been the one who had changed that. You’d been shocked when less than a month living in your new apartment Suzy had shown up at your place with a few boxes of pizza, some soda, a few dvds, and a box of things she thought would make your apartment really feel like a home.

You’d quickly realized that there was more behind Suzy’s visit to your place than just a girls-night in with pizza and some dvds.

Suzy had spoke in between bites of Pepperoni pizza. “So Dan’s been asking Arin about you….he’s kind of been asking about you since you met him.”

You furrowed your brow stunned to hear this. Dan hadn’t really given you the inclination that he saw you as anything other than Suzy’s “homeless” friend who was crashing on the sofa until she got back on her feet.

Suzy spoke again taking a sip of diet coke. “He finally worked up the nerve to actually ask me about you instead of going through Arin for information….and don’t shoot me but….I maybe kind of gave Dan the idea that I would see if you’d be willing to pass on your number to him…I mean he was kind of hinting around that he was interested in getting your number so.”

You frowned at this information your stomach rolling as you took this all in. This wasn’t the very first time Suzy had attempted to set you up with a friend of Arin’s.

She’d tried several times to set you up on dates with Arin’s friends back when you’d both been teenagers. It had been a fruitless effort of course. Your overbearing mother would have never allowed you to date anyone that she didn’t pick for you herself.

Your chances of being set up on a date by Suzy were even more dead when you considered the fact that your mother had never been overly fond of Suzy. Your mother hadn’t liked any of your friends really. You’d always found her disapproval of Suzy odd considering the fact that Suzy had been your best friend since you had been moved to Florida by your newly divorced mom in the second grade. Suzy had befriended you no questions asked. From second grade on into high school you’d spent so many night sleeping over at the Berhow’s. Amusingly enough Suzy’s parents had grown to expect that a place was to be set for you at the dinner table on Friday nights.

Your mother’s disapproval had only grown when Suzy had begun to date Arin. You could remember how Suzy any you had laughed over your mother’s almost puritanical disapproval of Arin and Suzy’s relationship. You could remember the words your mother had harshly whispered more than once. “I can’t believe her parents are allowing her to date that man.”

It was a ridiculous statement as Arin had always been extremely respectful to Suzy’s parents. They adored him, and Arin was only a few years older than Suzy and you. He wasn’t a man by any means. He was still just a nerdy teenage boy who giggled at fart jokes and adored anime and cosplay.

Needless to say Suzy’s attempts to play matchmaker had always been thwarted by your mother. Your mother had feared that if she allowed you to date anyone outside of her approval that she’d lose control of you.

You were adults now though and it seemed your mother wasn’t around to shut down any of Suzy’s attempts to make a love connection for you.

You bit at the inside of your cheek Suzy reading the look on your face far too easily. “I know you’re still feeling really emotionally raw from what happened with Nick.”

You cringed at the mention of your ex and Suzy spotted it quick to speak. “The jackass doesn’t deserve you…I know I don’t even have to say that I never liked him…I thought he was a prick the second I met him. I am going to say though that even if it freaks you out it wouldn’t hurt to give love another shot. I’ve only known Dan for a little while, but I know that Arin adores him. Dan seems like a great guy…he’s smart, talented, funny, a massive geek who is probably into a lot of the stuff you’re into…. and I think he’s really really sweet on you. You wouldn’t have to jump right into dating him…I don’t think that’s what he’s asking for…I think he just wants the chance to get to know you a little better….you could just take things slow and get to know each other…see if your compatible past attraction.”

She paused again giving your shoulder a pat soothing your anxieties as she spoke again trying to remind you that this was your choice at the end of the day. She knew that you’d spent most of your childhood and some of your young adulthood having all your choices be dictated by your mother. Suzy wasn’t about to make you feel as though you had no choice in the matter. “I told Dan that I wasn’t making any promises about passing along your number. The ball is totally in your court. You can say no if you aren’t into it. I won’t be upset if you aren’t interested, and I don’t think Danny would be a jerk about you not being ready to let him in…I told him you’d just gone though a bad breakup, so he’ll get if you aren’t ready for anything with anyone. I get if it’s too soon for you.”

You let out a sigh deciding to just take a chance. You’d taken a pretty big chance moving to LA to begin with, you might as well take another chance. “No, I mean…yeah, you can pass my number along to Dan.”

Suzy had happily texted Dan your number and a little over an hour later Dan had eagerly texted you. You’d be lying if you tried to say that you hadn’t spend the rest of that night texting back and forth with Dan.

Dan had seemed to have gotten the memo that your heart was still a little fragile because he’d moved slow with you, allowing you to set the pace.

You’d been stunned by how easy things had felt with Dan. He’d never pressured you for more than you were comfortable with. He’d taken his time getting to know you, letting you decide if you wanted more.

You’d gotten to know each other pretty well and you’d found out that Suzy was right. Dan and you did have a lot in common.

You’d been the one who’d made that first move crossing the line from friendship into something more.

Dan had been dropping you off after dinner at a sushi place and you’d taken a chance your lips pressing to his so delicately at first testing the waters. Dan had deepened the kiss once he’d realized that it was in fact really finally happening.

After that first kiss it had been clear that you two were going to be inseparable.

Your relationship had grown strong over the years and just a couple of years ago, when Dan had been looking to finally purchase his own home, he’d asked you to move in with him. You’d been hesitant at first, but Dan had reassured you that he was more than ready to take that step.

You’d definitely realized you’d made the right choice when you’d overheard Dan talking to Arin about the recent move. “I don’t care how pathetic I sound, but having her there is kind of awesome. She brings home fresh cut flowers from work and she bought these wax melt things that smell like apple pie and sugar cookies…and she has these quilts that feel amazing to nap under…and she makes this pasta thing with chicken and spinach and a cream sauce that I could eat an entire pot of if I didn’t think my stupid stomach would hate more for it.”

That little snippet of a conversation had all you’d needed to hear to know you’d made a good choice in agreeing to move in with him.

It had become pretty clear that you’d made a good decision letting Suzy give Dan your number all those years ago.

You snapped out of your trip down memory lane as Suzy spoke up her brow furrowing as she studied your pale form. “I think there’s something more than stress going on….Dan said it’s been happening for weeks now….like coming and going…and you’re always tired.”

She paused her brow furrowing further as she dared to speak. “So…don’t shoot me, but do you think that you could…I don’t know….be pregnant?”

You widened your eyes your heart feeling as though it was going to beat right out of your chest as you took in this question. You were fast to deny it trying hard to ignore the frantic thumping of your heart. “No…I mean, probably not…we’re pretty compulsive about using protection….I mean, I’m on the pill and Dan is pretty good about remembering to use condoms when we need to.”

Suzy frowned at this unable to stop herself from bringing it up. “Maybe you slipped up though….I mean the symptoms do kind of line up with pregnancy definitely being a real possibility…besides people can still get pregnant on the pill…I mean it’s rare but it still happens to some women…and like I said…maybe you slipped up.”

Your heart began to beat all the more frantically as you soaked in Suzy’s statement. Dan and you were usually so careful, but there had been moments where you’d gotten a little caught up in the moment and hadn’t remembered protection until it was too late.

It was a rare occurrence, but it still had happened more than once.

You automatically felt like an idiot as another little factor became apparent in the back of your mind. You were late. Your period wasn’t late by much, but it was still late all the same. You’d assumed that it was due to stress.

Maybe it wasn’t just stress though? Crap.

Suzy could see the panic dancing behind your eyes your breathing having sped up as you struggled not to hyperventilate.

She was quick to speak yanking her wallet out of her purse. “We can stop at a pharmacy and grab some pregnancy tests before we head over to the Grump Space and break the news to Dan.”

The words left your lips your hand shakily reaching for your own purse. “I want to take the test before I tell Dan….I need to know for sure before I say anything.”

Suzy frowned at this clearly looking as though she wanted to argue with this decision.

You were fast to speak again stopping her before she had a chance to press the issue. “I’ll tell him either way…I just…I feel like I need to know for sure before I freak him out. I promise I won’t keep it from him either way.”

You pushed your decision a little more pleading with Suzy not to involve Dan in this right away. “Please Suz…just, let me take the test alone and then once I know the result, I’ll let you send Dan my way.”

Suzy sighed at this knowing that there was no arguing with you. You’d made up your mind. “Okay…there’s a CVS a few blocks from here.”

……………………………………………………………………….

Buying pregnancy tests was far easier than you’d assumed it would be. You’d realized that this was a bit of a dumb thought. After all, picking up a few different home pregnancy tests and a gallon of lime-flavored sparkling water wasn’t exactly rocket science, but still you were surprised you’d managed to walk into the pharmacy and make the purchase without completely freaking out.

Buying and taking the tests had been the easy part. Waiting for the results, that was the hard part.

Suzy had taken you to an empty office in the Grump Space for you to wait out the results, that was after you of course had spent what was probably far too long locked up in the Portal themed bathroom peeing on as many pregnancy test strips as your poor bladder could manage.

You were relieved that Suzy hadn’t left you alone to wait out the results. You found yourselves sitting side by side on a sofa the tests lined up on a paper towel on the coffee table in front of you, your cell phones both set with alarms to go off when the five minutes you had to wait for a result was up.

You had quickly realized that five minutes could drag on for eons. It was more than five minutes technically a voice in the back of your brain was quick to remind you. It was only five minutes for one test and you’d taken several.

You stared down at your freshly done manicure the ruby red shining under the florescent lights of the office.

Your brain was stuck on an endless loop one word playing over and over again in your head; pregnant.

The loop was briefly broken as Suzy spoke up trying her best to soothe you. “You know that Dan loves you right? Whatever happens here, him loving you won’t change.”

 

You gave Suzy a tight smile nodding your head though your stomach lurched as you spoke. “I know.”

Suzy spoke again still trying hard to soothe you. She knew that if you sat here in silence, you’d drive yourself insane. “He’s been in love with you from the second he met you…He was so obvious about how into you he was right from the start…He wasn’t very stealthy when he started asking Arin and I about you.”

“I know…he really wasn’t all that great at hiding it…I’m glad he wasn’t though…I mean if he had been you might have never been clued in on it, and he might have never gotten you to talk me into giving him my number.” You admitted having long ago heard from both Arin and Suzy just how bad Dan had been at hiding that he was crushing hard on you when you’d first met all those years ago.

You spoke again your heart slamming within your chest so hard it almost hurt. “We’ve been though a lot together…Dan’s career growing more and more successful and me going freelance with my floral arrangements…..Dan’s stuck by me through a lot…I mean he stuck by me after that stunt my mother pulled.”

Suzy nodded her head a small bitter laugh leaving her lips. “I still can’t believe she convinced Nick to come here and try to win you back.”

You sighed at this memory shaking your head. Your mother had never gotten over the fact that you’d dumped your ex-fiance never mind the fact that he was an unfaithful selfish jerk.

Despite the fact that you’d admitted to your mother that you’d moved on from your ex and had settled into a happy stable relationship with Dan, your mother had decided that Nick was still obviously a better choice for you.

She’d taken matters into her own hands and did what she was best at; manipulating people.

You’d been stunned when Nick had shown up at your front door, although you probably hadn’t been as stunned as Nick had been considering Dan had been the one who had answered the door.

That fact was all the more awkward considering Dan had answered the door messy haired in his pjs with a prominent fresh hickey along his neck.

Dan and you had been having a lazy Saturday in your pjs which had led you to your bed where you’d proceeded to make out a little while pretending that you were paying more attention to the comedy movie, Dan had brought up on Netflix, than the feel of one another’s lips.

Dan had finally let you out of bed long enough to order some dinner.

When Dan had answered the knock at the door, he’d honestly expected to see the delivery guy from the Thai food place you’d placed an order at.

He’d been stunned to find your ex-fiance with a dozen red roses and a velvet box containing a brand-new engagement ring.

The situation had only been made all the more awkward when you had entered the room wearing a pair of tiny sleep shorts and one of Dan’s NY Giants t-shirts your hair just as messy a few little hickeys pressed along your exposed skin.

The situation had been brought to a painfully awkward conclusion by you ignoring Nick’s pleading you putting your foot down and breaking the news to him that you’d moved on and whatever your mother had told him had been false.

You had sent Nick away surprised a fury washing over you as you put the pieces together and realized just what had brought your ex-fiance to your doorstep.

You shook your head at the memory the words leaving your lips. “Most guys would have taken one look at that entire fucked up situation and run away screaming.”

Dan hadn’t run away though, not even when you’d called up your mother and had a screaming match where you announced that you’d prefer that she not contact you again.

Your eyes met the pregnancy tests again your stomach plummeting. Were you someone’s mother now? You weren’t sure how you felt about that given your toxic relationship with your own mother.

You spoke the words leaving your lips your jaw tightening as tension flooded your body. “I’m not sure I’ll make the world’s best mom…I mean you’ve met my mother…What if I fuck this kid up the way my mom screwed me up?”

Suzy was fast to speak placing an arm around your shoulders giving you a squeeze as she spoke. “We aren’t our parents. You aren’t your mom. If anything, you’re going to look back at how things were with your mom and go in the complete opposite direction. You aren’t screwed up and you won’t screw this hypothetical kid up at all.”

She spoke again giving your shoulder another squeeze. “Besides you’re gonna have Dan. He’s going to freak out a little, but I think once he knows…he’ll want this more than anything. I don’t think there’s a single doubt in this world that he’ll be a great dad…he’s great with kids. I mean you’ve seen him with Audrey, and his nephews.”

You felt a small smile cross your lips. Dan was pretty amazing with kids.

Yes, things had been a bit tense with Audrey Wecht at first. Dan had been obviously so clueless about babies when Brian had first introduced everyone to his new daughter.

Dan had looked like a deer in the headlights the first few times Brian had let him hold little Audrey. The second she began to cry Dan was all to eager to hand her over to someone else.

It didn’t help that the older Audrey had gotten she had begun to be a little afraid of Dan almost giving off the appearance that she disliked him.

It was just that Dan was so tall and Audrey was so small.

You could tell it had been a bit of a kick to Dan’s ego; Audrey being so anti-dan for those first few years.

Thankfully in the past two years she’d grown out of her fear of Dan. He was one of her favorite people on the planet now. She didn’t leave him alone for a second when he went over to Brian’s place. She was constantly hugging Dan, constantly talking his ear off. She even had pretend conversations with him on her little toy phone.

You could tell it had meant the world to Dan, to realize that Brian’s kid didn’t hate him after all.

You knew for a fact that Dan was completely amazing with his nephews. He adored them and they adored him.

You could remember how last winter when you’d visited Dan’s family for the holidays, you’d found yourself watching Dan play in the snow with his two nephews. You’d chuckled with his mother and his sister as you observed that Dan looked more like a giant kid than a grown man nearing forty.

Your stomach shifted and rolled as you took these two sides of Dan in. How would Dan be with this baby?

Would you get the clueless terrified man who panicked and passed off the baby each time he or she whimpered or would you get the sweetheart of a guy who would dote on him or her and know just what to do and say?

Suzy apparently could sense the thoughts running through your brain as she spoke. “He’ll be great…. you’ll both be great.”

You didn’t have time to respond to this comment as both yours and Suzy’s timers went off alerting you that it was time to face the truth.

You stared down at the tests your heart plummeting. This was happening, it was really happening.

Suzy was the first to speak pulling away from you as she stood up. “I’ll go get Danny.”

You didn’t have time to beg for her to stay, to give you more time to pretend that this wasn’t happening, to give you more time to pretend that your life wasn’t about to change forever.

You stared down at the tests the blue pluses standing out stark against the white test sticks.

Dan and you had discussed the possibility of having kids before, but it was always presented as something you both wanted to plan for. After all, having kids wasn’t something you should just jump right into without careful consideration. That was something Dan and you had always both agreed on.

Dan hadn’t hinted that he was anywhere near ready to start a family. He’d been enjoying the success he’d found with his career. He’d been busy with creating albums and performing concerts. You had been concentrating on building your business; finding clients, and working on a blog to feature your floral designs. You’d been enjoying just living in the moment together.

Kids could wait until you both were 100 percent ready, you’d agreed.

It seemed that fate and biology hadn’t been clued in on that plan though.

You took a deep breath trying to soothe yourself. Suzy was right, Dan loved you. This wouldn’t stop Dan from loving you.

This was Dan after all, your Dan.

This was the same man who had encouraged you to leave your job at the florist shop and strike out on your own reassuring you that he knew you could do it, promising you that you were more than capable of going your own way.

This was the man who’d reassured you that you had made the right choice in cutting your controlling toxic mother out of your life all those years ago.

This was the man who had taken you to both Scotland and Japan because he knew you’d always dreamed of seeing the world and he thought that spending money on experiences rather than materialistic items was more worthwhile than anything on this planet. In his words showing you two parts of the world was far more worthwhile than anything else he could have done with that money.

This was the man who held your hand on flights because he knew the turbulence freaked you out. This was the guy who would sit though horror movies with you because he knew you loved them; though he spent them with his head buried against your chest but still. This was the guy who you’d sit through NY Giants games with though you had never had too much interest in football.

This was the same guy who made such a huge deal out of your birthday, and Valentines Day, and your anniversary. This was the guy who had tried and failed to make you a romantic dinner last Valentines Day, which had resulted in you ordering Chinese food and reassuring Dan that you loved him and you weren’t disappointed how your evening was turning out as you tried to disable the smoke alarm.

This was the guy who was so proud to introduce you to everyone in his life as his girlfriend. This was the same guy who knew every little detail about you from your favorite color to your favorite movie to your worst fears and biggest dreams.

This was Danny, the person who you couldn’t imagine living without. The person you loved. This was Danny the father to the little life developing inside of you.

You didn’t have much longer to reassure yourself as Dan entered the room his brow furrowing. “Suzy said you needed to see me.”

He paid no mind to what was on the coffee table as he dropped down on the sofa beside you. You weren’t surprised as he pressed a hand to your forehead his brow still furrowed. “Are you still feeling sick? You’ve never had a fever, right? I mean you don’t feel warm or anything, at least you don’t feel warm to me, but you know I’m always cold…you’ve been checking your temperature though and there hasn’t been anything out of the ordinary.”

You sighed the words leaving your lips you unable to think of any other way to tell him. “I’m not sick Dan…or I mean…I guess I kind of am, but there’s a reason I’m sick.”

Dan furrowed his brow further completely dumbfounded as what you were trying to say. You sighed knowing you sounded like a rambling idiot with that last statement. You were tempted to just come right out and say it, but you couldn’t make your mouth form the words.

Instead you turned your head to look at the line of tests still sitting out on the coffee table. Dan turned his head to look at what you were staring at his eyes widening as it hit him exactly what you were staring at.

He reached out with a shaking hand grabbing a hold of a test and the instructions Suzy had left sitting out on the couch cushion.

His eyes scanned the instruction pamphlet you both sitting in silence for a long while.

Dan finally spoke the words sliding out of his lips. “Shit…this can’t be happening. I can’t believe this is happening.”

You felt yourself crumble at this statement every cruel little voice in the back of your head telling you that Suzy and you were both wrong. Dan didn’t want this, Dan didn’t want this at all.

Dan wanted to punch himself in the teeth as it hit him just how you had interpreted his statement. He dropped the test and the pamphlet quick to wrap his arms around you pulling you close to him as he attempted to make soothing noises and calm you.

You spoke the words leaving your lips in a frantic rush you struggling to place together a coherent statement. “I’m sorry…I can’t…I didn’t…we were so careful…I don’t know how it happened…I can’t change it…I’m sorry.”

Dan only wanted to punch himself all the more as he took in your words the best, he could understand due to your panicked state. “Don’t say sorry, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

He pulled back a bit placing a firm grip on your shoulders as he spoke trying to calm you. “Just breathe baby, take a deep breath, just breathe.”

The word “baby” only made you hyperventilate all the more and Dan cringed at his choice in pet name. He took a deep breath trying to calm his own anxiety from taking over. “Hey, look at me hon, look at me. Take a deep breath. It’s okay, it’s all okay. I’m here. It’s all going to be okay.”

“No, it’s not, it’s not going to be okay. You don’t want this. We aren’t ready for this.” You insisted shaking your head stubbornly.

Dan was fast to respond a heavy sigh leaving his lips. “I’m not ready for it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want it. How could I not want it? I love you so much.”

He pressed a kiss to your forehead as you struggled to calm your breathing all those voices in the back of your head still insisting that Dan didn’t want this, that this was a disaster, that nothing good would come out of this.

A cruel voice in the back of your mind kept insisting that Dan was just saying what you wanted to hear. He didn’t mean any of this.

Dan sighed seeing the doubts dancing around behind your eyes. He spoke without even a second thought at the words that were leaving his lips. “I love you baby girl. I love you so much. I’m scared but I know that we can do this. I wasn’t expecting this, but that doesn’t make me want it any less.”

Your tears began to dry the longer he rocked you against him his lips still pressing to your forehead. He spoke again his voice soft relief washing over him as he realized you were starting to relax. “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out. I know it’s a surprise, but it’s a good surprise.”

“I’m scared….what if I’m like her.” You blurted out the fear presenting itself once again even though Suzy had already attempted to calm the fear you had of becoming anything like your mother.

Dan worked out exactly what you were asking and he was fast to speak reassuring you. “You won’t be like her. You’re nothing like her. You’re warm, and sweet, and beautiful inside and out. You’re filled with so much love and kindness. This kid is going to be so blessed to have you as it’s mom.”

You sniffled Dan pressing another kiss to your forehead. He did want this. He really wanted this.

You only sniffled more, tears of joy began leaking from your eyes as Dan spoke up. “I promise you that I’ll do my very best to be the dad this kid deserves. I’m scared too, but we can be scared together…and we can figure out how not to be scared together. I promise you that this kid is going to be so loved. He or she is going to be loved by so many of the people in our lives.”

You felt the words leave your lips you unable to deny them. “You’re going to be a great dad. How could you not be? I love you so much.”

The two of you sat in silence for a long while before Dan spoke again the words leaving his lips without a second thought. “I want to marry you.”

You shook your head the stubborn part of your brain telling you that Dan was only doing what he thought was the noble thing to do “You’re just saying that because I’m pregnant and now you feel like you have to do it. You don’t mean it.”

Dan let out a frustrated sigh as he pressed another kiss to your forehead. “That’s not true… I love you so much. I’ve been thinking about this for a while…I had plans to ask you long before this moment. I mean it…I can prove it.”

He reluctantly pulled away from you giving himself enough room to pull his cell phone from his jacket pocket.

He opened his photo folder scrolling though it until he found what he was looking for. He showed you the image on his phone his words soft and soothing as he made another attempt to calm you. “See.”

You widened your eyes as you stared down at the photo. It was Dan’s hand, you’d recognize his oversized thumb anywhere. What stunned you was what was held between his fingers; a gold art deco styled band with a ruby nestled in the center of it.

Dan let out an anxious laugh as he explained the photo. “I didn’t really picture showing you this ring like this….I just took a picture of it after I bought the ring so I could text a pic of it my mom and my sister.”

He paused another anxious little laugh leaving his throat. “I tried and failed miserably to propose twice now.”

You furrowed your brow mentally searching for just when these proposals had failed. Your question was answered as Dan spoke. “You remember at the beginning of the month…when I talked you into stopping by the Grump Space late at night after I finished up doing some late voice work.”

You nodded your head at the memory. You hadn’t expected to walk into the Grump Space only to have Dan lead you to a little picnic blanket he’d set out. He’d lowered the lights and had gotten sushi and little fake battery-operated candles set out across the blanket for a surprise indoor picnic.

He’d insisted it was just because you’d both been working so hard lately. He wanted to give you a romantic evening.

That evening had been cut short when Matt had entered the room giving Dan an apologetic look. “The recording you did earlier is glitching out. I think you’re going to have to redo it.”

You widened your eyes suddenly understanding just why Dan had been so upset with Matt’s news. You’d thought he was just disappointed that your night was being cut short. You’d thought he was just frustrated with the messed up audio recording.

He had been planning on proposing?

You spoke your heart aching a little remembering just how crushed Dan had looked that night when you’d kissed his cheek and announced you were going to head on home while he rerecorded. “When was the second time? I mean when was the other time you tried to propose?”

Dan let out a soft sigh shaking his head. “The picnic attempt was technically the second time I tried to propose….remember when I caught the flu a while back around the holidays?”

You spoke remembering it clearly. “We had made plans to go out but you started feeling bad and we had to cancel.”

Dan let out a heavy sigh nodding his head. “Yeah I wanted to scream when I realized I had to cancel…I had made reservations at this little restaurant that the Yelp reviews said was supposed to be really romantic and I had arranged for us to go look at some Christmas lights…I was going to propose at the end of the night…after we went and got peppermint hot chocolate at that coffee shop you love, the one that’s open super late at night.”

You were dumbfounded as you took in this information. He’d tried to propose twice now?

You placed your hand over Dan’s deciding to take a chance as you placed it over your stomach. You were relieved that Dan kept his hand placed there a small nervous smile crossing his lips.

He took you by shock as he nodded down to your stomach his voice soft and sweet. “So what do you think my little one? Do you think I should ask mom again? Third time’s a charm right?”

You felt the laugh leave your lips instantly. You were suddenly unable to remember just why you’d been so scared to begin with. “Third time is a charm.”

Dan pressed his lips to yours his hand not moving from your stomach. He spoke as his lips slid along yours. “Marry me?”

You nodded your head without any hesitations as you spoke. “Yes.”

Dan pressed a few more kisses to your lips his voice soft as he spoke between kisses. “I promise I’ll give you a better proposal when I put the ring on your finger.”

“This is a good proposal.” You insisted as he began to rub your stomach.

You spoke needing to hear his reassurances once again. “Do you really think we can do this?”

“I know we can do this. We’re going to be great…and this baby is going to be so perfect, they’re going to have your smile and my crazy curls and they’re just going to the be the most beautiful thing on the planet…They’re going to be so amazing. We’re going to love him or her so much.” Dan insisted his lips pressing to yours again.

You sat like that in silence for a long while Dan holding you close his hand pressed to your stomach absent-mindedly rubbing it as you both soaked in the moment and just how much your lives were about to change.

Dan finally broke the silence speaking his voice holding a hint of nervous energy. “Do you….do you think that maybe, if it’s a girl do you think we can name her Sarah?”

He paused his cheeks flushing. He began mentally second guessing himself for voicing this thought out loud. It was way too soon to be talking about baby names. He’d just gotten you to come down from an anxiety attack and popped the question and now he wanted to talk about baby names.

It was too much too soon.

He couldn’t stop his lips from moving as he continued to speak wanting to explain himself at the very least. “It’s Hebrew…Sarah is….It means princess….If you don’t like it we can choose another name…or if it’s too soon to think about it….”

He didn’t have time to finish his statement as you pressed your lips to his fast to reassure him. “I like it…but if it’s a boy I want to name it after you.”

“Leigh?” Dan asked trying to hide the frown from his face.

You chuckled knowing that Dan wasn’t overly fond of his legal first name. He insisted that it was spelled like the girls version of Lee.

You soothed his worries as you pressed your lips to his. “Maybe we can just take the Daniel part…give him a different middle name that we can call him by.”

Dan pressed his lips to yours showing you exactly what he thought of this idea.

You smiled into the kiss happily soaking up this feeling.

You had nothing to be afraid of. This hadn’t been expected, but Dan was right. It was a good surprise.


End file.
